Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
Salmon-colored sand moves through a notch between plateaus, supporting recreation and a tiger beetle found nowhere else.
Artwork inspired by Mary Teasdel
Wind funnels loose Navajo sandstone through a gap between the Moquith and Moccasin mountains, building dunes that continually migrate and reform. Tracks reveal beetles, lizards, birds, and mammals even when animals remain hidden.
The park permits off-highway vehicles in designated areas, so hikers should understand shared-use zones before wandering. Visit early or late for cooler sand and clearer track stories, and avoid crushing vegetation that stabilizes dune margins.
- Color
- Iron-stained Navajo sand
- Endemic
- Rare tiger beetle
- Allow
- 2–4 hours
Quick guide
- Route question
- Coral dune field ↔ Wind ripples
- Final evidence
- Endemic beetle habitat
Quick guide
- Begin
- Check the map for pedestrian and OHV-use zones.
- Read tracks
- Follow patterns without trampling their maker’s shelter.
- Look low
- Search dune margins for endemic tiger-beetle habitat.
- Protect
- Stay out of signed conservation closures.
Good to know
Bare sand can become dangerously hot, and motorized recreation changes the sound and safety of different sectors. Ask staff where quiet pedestrian exploration is best that day. Collecting sand, plants, insects, or artifacts is prohibited.
Notice these
- Coral dune field
- Wind ripples
- Endemic beetle habitat